Corps Commandos

The new Dutch government is giving an extra 1.5 billion euros to Defense, sources told the Telegraaf based on the financial plans the VVD, CDA, D66 and ChristenUnie sent to central planning office CPB. Two thirds of that money is for catching up on overdue maintenance, the rest for investment, according to the newspaper.

That the new government plans to push more money into Defense, comes as no surprise. During the campaigns preceding the parliamentary election in March, all parties except GroenLinks, SP and DENK said they wanted more money to go towards the Dutch armed forces.

A lack of equipment and training has the Netherlands' Corps Commandos in a bad position, RTL Nieuws reports based on a confidential assessment conducted by the Armed Forces. A number of training exercises have been suspended for months due to too little equipment. "The equipment is old and worn and therefore dangerous", the report reads, according to the broadcaster.

The special forces training for the Corps Commando troops was halted to a large extend due to concerns for their safety, according to a mail from the highest leader of the commandos that RTL Nieuws has in its possession. Commander Groen wrote the mail to his immediate superior, Commander of the armed forces Leo Beulen. In it he wrote that he has no confidence that the security procedures of the trainings are in order, according to the broadcaster.

A group of 15 Commando Corps soldiers are taking legal steps o try and stop the Moroccan mosque in Kortendijk, Roosendaal from any more calls to prayer. They've hired a lawyer to advise them on how to proceed

The Dutch Corps Commandos will be awarded the Military Order of Willem for their extraordinary efforts in Afghanistan, the government information service Rijksvoorlichtingsdienst announced on Monday. King Willem-Alexander will present the award on March 15th on the Binnenhof in The Hague.